HISTORY
HISTORY
In 2006 Ladislav Kossár bought a bracelet for one thousand crowns from children living in a children’s home. He visited the children’s home and asked: “How can I help you?“
The answer was simple:
“Find a way for these children to spend their free time away from the children’s home.“
hat’s how the BUDDY story started.


2006
WILLINGNESS TO HELP CHILDREN
- founder buys a bracelet
- the BUDDY program begins as a summer camp called “4 elements”
- civic association founded
- voluntary team
2010
DEVELOPING CHILDREN’S SKILLS
- teaching children skills to help prepare them for an independent life (IT, finance, work skills, communication)
- weekend program with experiential learning and life skills training
- first business partnerships
- first employee
2014
WE FIGURED IT OUT
- 8 years since founding the organisation and we understand the importance of an individual approach
- implementing the principles of attachment theory
- we stop working directly with children and start recruiting adult volunteers as agents of change
- 3 BUDDY pairs emerge organically
- 3 workers
2016 - 2018
PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONALISATION
- our focus is on creating relationships
- our coordinator-psychologists select, train and support our volunteers
- professionalisation of the organisation
- focusing on measuring impact and quality
- sustainability strategy
- 10 workers
2019
CONSOLIDATION AND PREPARING FOR GROWTH
- strengthening the team and refining the quality of the program
- new child protection policy
- first local volunteer recruitment campaign
- defining our fundraising and marketing strategy
- 13 workers
2019 - 2021
DEVELOPING OUR SELECTION PROCESS
- refining the selection process
- 8 stages spread over 3-6 months
- more accurate understanding of each applicant's personality and ability to offer long-term support for a child
2022 - 2025
DEVELOPING OUR MARKETING AND DONOR CARE
- focus on visibility with a nationwide marketing campaign
- gradual involvement of BUDDY pairs in eastern and central Slovakia
- interest in volunteering reaches all 8 regions
- working on sustainable growth and increasing the share of regular donations
2026 - 2030
NATIONWIDE COVERAGE AND EXPANSION
- our goal is to achieve sustainable coverage across Slovakia
- our aspiration is to help children in Central European countries in similar situations to Slovakia